Russia's Defense Ministry claims Balakliya 'liberated from Ukrainian nationalists'

Russia's Defense Ministry has proclaimed that the county's forces have liberated Balakliya from "Ukrainian nationalists". According to several media reports, Russia's armed forces gained control of a number of communities. A Russian military department spokesperson, Igor Konashenkov, said at a media briefing that the communities of Zhovtneve, Novopoltavka, and Chistopolye were taken over by Russian forces.

"The city of Balakleya has been liberated from nationalist battalions," Igor Konashenkov added.

Konashenkov claimed that the Russian troops "levelled the front line" with DPR units. According to the Russian military spokesperson, the DPR fighters were able to narrow the encirclement around Mariupol. They also liberated the Ukrainian Armed Forces from the communities of Vinogradnoe, Vodyanoye, and Sartak. The LPR troops moved four kilometres deep into Ukraine, with Russian military fire support, to the Krasny Lyman line, Privolye, the northern fringes of Severodonetsk. 

Between March 2 and 3, Russian shelling and strikes on civilian populations killed at least 34 citizens in Ukraine's eastern Kharkiv region, according to emergency services. Separately, the governor of Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region stated the port city of Mariupol, which was one of the first objectives of Russia's assault, was without power and water.

Russia-Ukraine war

In the wake of a rising civilian death toll and widespread property devastation during Russia's invasion of Ukraine, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court has begun an investigation that could target senior authorities suspected of war crimes, crimes against humanity, or genocide. ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan announced the investigation late Wednesday night after receiving requests from dozens of the court's member states.

Further, according to British military intelligence, Russia's assault on Kyiv has made minimal progress over the past three days, and the cities of Kharkiv, Chernihiv, and Mariupol remain in Ukrainian control. Meanwhile, the United Nations General Assembly voted in an extraordinary session on Wednesday to demand that Moscow stop attacking Ukraine immediately. India abstained from voting, stating that the only way to address issues is via communication and diplomacy.

Moreover, in a recent development, Russia's foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said that Moscow is ready for discussions to halt the conflict in Ukraine, but it will continue to work to destroy Ukraine's military infrastructure. The Russian delegation presented their demands to Ukrainian negotiators earlier this week, according to Lavrov, and is now waiting for Kyiv's answer in Thursday's negotiations.

(With inputs from agencies, Image: AP)